Concentrating-table.



W. G. DODD. OONOENTRATING TABLE.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR 14 1906. 908,758; Patented Jan.5, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

files-sea: 12709272??? W. G. DODD. GONGENTRATING TABLE. APPLICATION mum MA3.14, 1906.

Patented Jan 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WILLIS G. DODD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CONCENTRATING-TAB LE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Application filed March 14, 1906. Serial No. 305,971.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIS G. Donn, of San Francisco, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concentrating-Tables, whereof the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to that class of ore concentrators known as inclined reciprocating riflie tables, the mineral collected by the riffies being discharged upon a smooth surface for final separation by subjecting it to the action of a flow of wash water.

Tables of this class when in operation require to be adjusted to such an inclined position as will cause the pulp (consisting of a mixture of finely crushed ore and water) to flow smoothly downward over the rifiies. When ore carrying a small percentage of mineral is worked, the proportion of mineral collected and discharged by each riffle upon the smooth surface of the table is very small compared with the quantity of gangue discharged at the same time. To separate or wash this gangue from the mineral requires a volume of wash water sufficient to move the gangue, which water, owing to the fixed inclination of the table, may acquire a velocity sufficient to carry the mineral down with the gangue, thus defeating the object sought to be obtained. But if the mineral discharged by the rifl le is of suflicient quantity to mass itself together, so as to come under the influence of the motion imparted to the table, it will cling to the smooth surface, resist the downward action of the wash water, and be carried safely to its point of discharge, while the gangueassociated with it willbe washed out and carried over the tailings discharge side of the table.

The object of this invention is to overcome the difficulty described, by collecting the mineral in mass and partly or completely washing it before starting it upon its travel across the smooth surface to its point of discharge. This I accomplish by causing the material discharged from the uppermost rifiie to be substantially deflected into that of the next riflle below, and so on, until a sufficient quantity of mineral has been collected to withstand the action of the wash water and come under the influence of the motion of the table.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts by means of which I accomplish the object of this invention, is clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, which proper, mounted in any suitable manner that will admit of giving it an inclined adjustment, and of imparting a reciprocating movement thereto. The mounting indicated in the drawing will be found satisfactory.

a is the head of the table, a its foot, and a is its tail or tailings discharge side.

B represents a series of mineral collecting riiiles, covering a portion of the table, leav-. ing a smooth surface C upon which the riffles discharge their collected material.

D represents a series of deflectors located upon the smooth surface C. They may consist of narrow strips of wood, or other material, secured to the surface, and so arranged as to permit of water flowing between them.

E represents a feed box through which pulp may be introduced upon the table.

F is a water box or tank from which water may be introduced upon the table as desired.

Gr represents any suitable mechanism connected to the table to impart a reciprocating movement to it and cause the collected ma terial to travel along the riffles toward the smooth surface C.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The table A is adjusted to an inclination that will cause the pulp to flow downward across the rifHes B and discharge over the tail of the table a power is applied to the mechanism G which imparts to the table a reciprocating movement of the character described. Pulp is now introduced upon the table through the feed box E, and owing to the inclination of the table, flows smoothly downward across the riifles B. The valuable particles of mineral contained in this pulp, owing to the agitation and their greater specific gravity as compared with the gangue with which they are associated, settle among, or are caught by, the riflies, while the worthless gangue continues its downward flow and is discharged over the tail of the table, and permitted to run to waste. The mineral which has been caught by the riflles, owing to the motion imparted to the table, is carried along the riflies and discharged with more or less gangue on the smooth surface of the table against the deflectors D. At this point the direction of travel of the mineral is changed by being deflected downward, and it now comes under the action of the wash water which flows downward over the table from the water box I and through the spaces between the deflectors D, which, owing to the motion of the table and the angle at which the deflectors are set, cause an oblique flow of the water over the material. This tends to wash the gangue from the mineral back into the rilfles, while the mineral moves downward to mingle with the discharge of the next lower riffle, and so on. IVhen this process has been repeated su'lflciently to collect a mass of clean mineral large enough to bear on the table and so come under the influence of its motion and resist the action of the wash water, the points of the deflectors are gradually carried toward the point of discharge near the lower corner of the foot of the table a, the clean mineral following this course is carried over the foot of the table and deposited in any suitable receptacle prepared for the purpose.

I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the exact construction and arrangement here shown, as I desire to avail myself of such modifications and equivalents as properly come within the spirit of this invention, and employ the principle thereof, which consists mainly in deflecting, confining and enforcing the discharge of one riffle into that of another, and the repeated washing of the same, by means of deflectors or their equivalents, in an apparatus of this class.

I I claim:

1. An inclined reciprocating concentrating table, comprising in combination, a rif fled portion, a smooth portion on which the riflles discharge, means secured upon the smooth portion adjacent to the discharge 3. An inclined reciprocating concentrating table, comprising in combination a riffled portion, a smooth portion onto which the riflies discharge, a series of deflectors located upon the smooth portion beyond the discharge ends of the riflles and adapted to deflect the material discharged by the riflies, and means for supplying Water to the deflectors whereby the material is washed and the mineral separated from the gangue.

4:. An inclined concentrating table having a movement tending to carry the material forward toward the foot of the table, a series of riflles covering a portion of the table, leaving a smooth surface upon which a series of deflectors are located adjacent to the ends of said riflles, whereby the discharge of one riflle is deflected into that of another and the mineral massed.

5. An inclined reciprocating concentrating table, comprising in combination, a longitudinally riflied portion, a transversely riffled portion adjacent to the discharge end of the longitudinally riflied portion and adapted to deflect the material discharged by the longitudinal riflles, and means for supplying water to the table, whereby the material is washed and cleaned, and the mineral is separated from the gangue.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses this 8th of March, 1906.

WILLIS Gr. DODD.

Witnesses:

IVM. S. BATES, J. H. MILLER. 

